One Hit Wonders Throughout The Ages: The Songs You Love And The Artists You Never Knew

You know every lyric, dance along when it plays at parties, and yet the name of the artist or band who performed the song eludes you. You’re not going insane, it’s just a case of the one-hit wonder. After months on heavy rotation on the US charts, radio stations allow that hit to fade into the ether, only to have it live on through oldies stations, top 100 lists, and other nostalgic means of communication.

Some of the biggest hits of the last 50 years came to us courtesy of one-hit wonders and we wanted to celebrate the artists who brought us those classic tunes.

Believe it or not, Ron Burgandy didn’t Pome up with the song “Afternoon Delight.”

Lemon Pipers: “Green Tamborine”

Photo Credits: GAB Archive/Redferns

Photo Credits: GAB Archive/Redferns

The Lemon Pipers are a psychedelic band from Oxford Ohio. Prominent only during the 1960’s, they are mainly known for their track “Green Tamborine.” In 1968, the track reached No. 1 in the United States and has even been credited as the first bubblegum pop chart-topper.

Although the band’s career was not a complete flop, “Green Tamborine” is mainly how they got their name, yet it’s rare for people to say much about the Lemon Pipers when not talking about that one song. By 1969, the band had dissolved and the members went on to start their own respective careers.